1. The Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a climatic cabinet with at least one door, having a storage station with at least one object storage device, which exhibits several storage locations arranged one on top of the other, and having a transport device for feeding objects to the object storage locations, wherein the transport device has an object receiver, wherein the object receiver is secured to a vertical carriage in such a way that it can be moved vertically and horizontally, and wherein the storage station and transport device are arranged on mounting plates.
2. The Relevant Technology
Climatic cabinets such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,428 are known in the art. The U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,428 patent discloses climatic cabinets in which objects, e.g., microtiter plates or object support plates, hereinafter generally referred to as objects, are introduced into and extracted from magazines by means of a transport system. The magazines are designed as a carrousel, i.e., rotatable, wherein a transport system is allocated to one or more such magazines. The transport system enables the vertical and horizontal movement of objects, wherein horizontal mobility takes the form of both translational and rotational movement. Numerous drives, such as electric motors, are required to execute the sequence of movements.
An object of the present invention is to improve the functionality of known climatic cabinets and improve their reliability.
This object is achieved for a climatic cabinet of the kind described at the outset by arranging the storage station between the door and transport device located inside the climatic cabinet, and by arranging the mounting plate that carries the storage station inside the climatic cabinet higher than the mounting plate that carries the transport device. As a result, the height of the object storage device can be optimally utilized with regard to the arrangement of object storage locations, since dead spaces in the lower portion of the storage device can be avoided.
In a second embodiment of the invention, the object receiver is linked with a counterweight by a moveable connecting element routed over a reversing unit arranged in the upper area of the vertical carriage. This counterbalances a portion of the mass to be moved vertically, so that less energy is required for the vertical movement. Accordingly, the drives for the vertical positioning, e.g., electric motors, can be smaller.
Another embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the object receiver has guide rails for guiding the object to be transported, and at least one microswitch with a moveable switching element, which projects into the area of the object to be received by the object receiver. The microswitch triggers a signal by moving the switching element in a receive position of the object in the object receiver. When introducing the object into the object receiver, the object is guided via guide rails, and hence in a defined manner. As it moves into the stipulated position in or on the object receiver, the object pushes the moveable switching element out of this area. At this time, the microswitch releases a signal in a known manner. The switching element can have various known designs. For example, the switching element can execute a movement along a straight line or curved path. The advantage to such microswitches is that they can be used under conditions where conventional optical detection systems fail, for example at high temperatures in conjunction with high atmospheric humidity. In this case, the guide rails ensure that the microswitch can be reliably triggered, and that the object moves in the stipulated manner without being forced into an unintended direction by the microswitch. The microswitch can be situated either horizontally to the side inside the object receiver or under the space provided for receiving the object in the object receiver. This ensures a reliable detection of the correct deposition of the object.
Another embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that the object receiver has a horizontally moveable blade for receiving at least one object, a motor drives the blade, and the motor is situated on the blade. This type of arrangement permits a relatively small design, and the drive is simple to implement. As a result, the service opening can be small so as not to significantly impair the climate inside the climatic cabinet. In addition, the functional reliability of the object receiver is increased.
According to the invention, the individual embodiments disclosed herein can also be combined as desired.
Advantageous embodiments of the invention are indicated in the subclaims. In particular, it is desirable to connect both mounting plates by means of an adapter. Both mounting plates are preferably made out of a single, offset base plate for easier handling. It is desirable to have a gap, between the mounting plate carrying the storage station and a lower edge of the door, through which the service personnel can reach. This provides direct access to a water trough that, in practice, is often arranged under the object storage device. As a result, the water trough can be cleaned out without extensive disassembly. In particular, when the difference in height between the two mounting plates is at least as great as the height of the object receiver, the latter can be moved under the object storage device so that object storage locations can also be provided right in the lower area of the object storage device. This increases the number of possible object storage locations, and hence the climatic cabinet efficiency. This configuration also avoids unused space.
One especially simple construction of the transport device is achieved by allocating the drives for the object receiver to the object receiver itself. In addition, it is desirable to provide a service opening on the side opposite the door as an access for at least part of the object receiver. As a result, the objects can be transported into or out of the climatic cabinet through the service hole opening, that can have relatively small dimensions, without having to open the generally large-sized door which is often used essentially for assembly and maintenance. In this case, the service opening is generally only big enough to enable delivery of objects from outside to the inside. In this configuration it makes no difference whether the object is transported from a transport device arranged inside the climatic cabinet to the outside, or from the outside to the inside, or whether this transport takes place from a transport device located outside the climatic cabinet. For space considerations, the transport device of the climatic cabinet according to the present invention is preferably situated in the climatic cabinet itself. This also results in a better functionality and simpler construction.
In addition, it is desirable for the moveable connecting element linking the counterweight and object receiver to be designed as a rope, belt or chain. In terms of length, the connecting element can be dimensioned in such a way that the connecting element does not take the object receiver over its highest attachment point on the vertical carriage when the counterweight is in its lower end position. This increases the reliability of vertical movement by the object receiver. The object receiver can easily be removed form the upper end of the vertical carriage by hand. The reversing unit is preferably situated on the vertical carriage or in its upper area. It can then simultaneously serve as a safety element to prevent an unintended detachment of the object receiver from the vertical carriage. The reversing unit is preferably fixed in place with a quick acting closure, e.g., a single screwed fitting. The reversing unit can be secured to the vertical carriage itself, or to a casing section near the vertical carriage.